A New Person in Jesus Christ

A New Person in Jesus Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”

The Cross leaves a mark. Not a scar of shame, but a seal of transformation. Pastor West reminds us that if the story of Jesus—His suffering, death, and resurrection—doesn’t move us, then something is wrong. Christians are marked people. And because we are marked, we are changed.

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:17 are not poetic exaggeration. They are spiritual reality. To be in Christ means more than believing facts about Jesus—it means belonging to Him, being united with Him, living within His sustaining love, and becoming part of His body, the church.

Transformation is not theory; it’s metamorphosis. Just as a caterpillar doesn’t come out of the cocoon the same way it went in, believers do not emerge from salvation unchanged. Christ doesn’t repair the old life—He replaces it.

Pastor West challenges us to stop carrying “old equipment”: old guilt, old shame, old habits, old mindsets that Christ has already discarded. If it didn’t help you before Christ, it won’t help you after Him.

The love of Christ constrains us—holds us together when life is falling apart. When grief, loss, sickness, or disappointment should have destroyed us, Christ keeps us standing. That is the evidence that we are new.

Nature may form us.
Sin may deform us.
Culture may conform us.
Education may inform us.
But only Christ transforms us.

And because of that, anyone—anyone—who is in Christ is a new person.

Key Lessons

• The Cross Marks Us – Christianity is not passive; the Cross leaves an indelible mark on the believer’s life.

• Transformation Is Total – Salvation is not self-improvement but complete renewal.

• The Love of Christ Constrains Us – God’s love holds us together in life’s hardest seasons.

• Being in Christ Is Communal – We are saved into a body, not isolated faith.

• Old Things Must Be Let Go – What Christ has discarded should not be carried forward.

Action Steps

• Identify the “old equipment” you’re still holding onto and consciously release it to God.

• Live out your new identity—make decisions that reflect who you are in Christ, not who you used to be.

• Recommit to Christian community, recognizing that transformation flourishes in fellowship.

• Practice gratitude daily for God’s ongoing work of renewal in your life.

• Encourage someone else by reminding them that change in Christ is possible.

Prayer

Gracious God,
Thank You for making us new in Christ Jesus. Forgive us for holding on to what You have already removed from our lives. Help us to release old habits, old wounds, and old identities that no longer define us. Let the love of Christ constrain us, sustain us, and transform us daily. Teach us to live as new creations—for Your glory and for the good of the world.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This blog post is inspired by Pastor Ralph West's sermon, "A New Person in Jesus Christ".This sermon emphasizes that God performs miracles in response to our problems and limitations, particularly when we acknowledge our complete dependence on Him and remain open to His provision.

Click here to purchase the MP3 of the sermon, "A New Person in Jesus Christ"